Three sixth grade classes at Scott Carpenter got to use the lab of the real-world environment to learn all about the environment and ecology. They took three field trips to Two Lakes Park, a natural area near the school, to apply their in-class lessons to real life environmental issues.
During the excursions, the students learned many things about the park. Among their many activities, the students:
- tested water quality,
- identified animal signs and plants,
- estimated the height of the trees,
- learned all about beaver ecology,
- recognized invasive plants and the problems they cause,
- studied weather and atmosphere, and
- even found time to help clean up the park.
The classes conducted several projects in the classroom that complimented their outdoor adventures, including using aerial photographs to map where the water in the ponds came from, as well as to locate their own school and their homes on the maps.
The classes also participated in the Tools for Schools program - which combats second-hand smoke and other indoor air quality issues - at the end of the semester, including a visit from Stacey Simms from the American Lung Association.